Yuna Kato

Yuna Kato (加藤 佑奈, Katō Yūna; born 26 June 2002) is a Japanese badminton player.^[2]

Yuna Kato
Kato at the 2022 Taipei Open
Personal information
Country	Japan
Born	(2002-06-26) 26 June 2002 (age 23) Gifu, Japan[1]
Height	1.66 m (5 ft 5 in)[1]
Women's doubles
Highest ranking	18 (WD with Rui Hirokami) (23 May 2023)
Current ranking	68 (WD with Rui Hirokami) (18 March 2025)
Medal record Women's badminton Representing  Japan Asia Team Championships 2022 Selangor Women's team
BWF profile

Career

2022: First World Tour title and world No. 25 ranking

In 2022, Yuna Kato partnered with Rui Hirokami in women's doubles. On the BWF World Tour, they were runners-up at two tournaments: the Taipei Open (Super 300), where they lost to Ng Tsz Yau and Tsang Hiu Yan of Hong Kong, and the Canada Open (Super 100), where they were defeated by fellow Japanese pair Rena Miyaura and Ayako Sakuramoto.^[3][4][5] Kato and Hirokami won their first BWF World Tour title at the Indonesia Masters Super 100, defeating Miyaura and Sakuramoto in the final.^[6] The pair also won two International Challenge titles: the Mexican International and the Belgian International.^[7] Kato was part of the Japanese team that won a bronze medal at the Asia Team Championships in Selangor. Starting the year unranked, their performances led to a significant rise in their world ranking, reaching World No. 25 by 26 December 2022.

Achievements

BWF World Tour (1 title, 4 runners-up)

The BWF World Tour, which was announced on 19 March 2017 and implemented in 2018,^[8] is a series of elite badminton tournaments sanctioned by the Badminton World Federation (BWF). The BWF World Tour is divided into levels of World Tour Finals, Super 1000, Super 750, Super 500, Super 300 (part of the HSBC World Tour), and the BWF Tour Super 100.^[9]

Women's doubles

Year	Tournament	Level	Partner	Opponent	Score	Result
2022	Taipei Open	Super 300	Rui Hirokami	Ng Tsz Yau Tsang Hiu Yan	15–21, 21–18, 19–21	Runner-up
2022	Canada Open	Super 100	Rui Hirokami	Rena Miyaura Ayako Sakuramoto	13–21, 8–21	Runner-up
2022	Indonesia Masters	Super 100	Rui Hirokami	Rena Miyaura Ayako Sakuramoto	23–21, 21–18	Winner
2023	Korea Masters	Super 300	Rui Hirokami	Jeong Na-eun Kim Hye-jeong	12–21, 19–21	Runner-up
2024	Orléans Masters	Super 300	Rui Hirokami	Meilysa Trias Puspita Sari Rachel Allessya Rose	12–21, 18–21	Runner-up

BWF International Challenge/Series (2 titles)

Women's doubles

Year	Tournament	Partner	Opponent	Score	Result	Ref
2022	Mexican International	Rui Hirokami	Ayako Sakuramoto Hinata Suzuki	15–21, 21–19, 21–17	Winner
2022	Belgian International	Rui Hirokami	Chang Ching-hui Yang Ching-tun	21–7, 21–15	Winner	[10]
2025	Malaysia International	Hina Osawa	Jeon Jui Kim Ha-na

  BWF International Challenge tournament

BWF Junior International (1 title)

Girls' doubles

Year	Tournament	Partner	Opponent	Score	Result	Ref
2020	German Junior	Rui Hirokami	Lee So-yul Yoo A-yeon	21–13, 21–14	Winner	[11]

  BWF Junior International Grand Prix tournament